Salmos 144
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Salmos 144:1-4
144:1-4 This strophe uses numerous military allusions. This is obviously a royal Psalm. YHWH acts on behalf of His people to assure their survival because He has a universal redemptive plan involving national Israel (the descendants of Abraham). Psalm 144:3-4 is surprising in that the focus moves from Israel to all humans. they are the object of YHWH's special care (cf. Ps. 8:4) because they are made in His image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26-27) however, because of Genesis 3 they are frail and finite (cf. Ps. 90:5; 103:15; 104:14; Isa. 40:6-8; 1 Pet. 1:24) SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FALL OF MANKIND 144:1 "Blessed" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BLESSING (OT). ▣ "Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. ▣ "my rock" This (BDB 849) is a recurrent title for Israel's God. See notes online at Deut. 32:4 and Ps. 18:1-3. Everything changes but God does not. He is the anchor that does not fail, the fortress that cannot fall. Note the powerful, emotional string of descriptive NOUNS in Ps. 18:2! SPECIAL TOPIC: CORNERSTONE, I. A. ▣ "trains my hands for war" There is obviously a literary relationship between Psalm 18 and Psalm 144. Note the parallels. Ps. 144:1 ‒ Ps. 18:2,34,46 Ps. 144:2 ‒ Ps. 18:2,47 Ps. 144:3 ‒ Ps. 18:4 Ps. 144:5 ‒ Ps. 18:9 Ps. 144:6 ‒ Ps. 18:14 Ps. 144:7 ‒ Ps. 18:16-17,44 Ps. 144:10 ‒ Ps. 18:50 Ps. 144:11 ‒ Ps. 18:44 144:2 My lovingkindness" YHWH is faithful in His covenant commitments. Notice the number of PERSONAL PRONOUNS in the NASB of Ps. 144:1-2 (six). The psalmist knows and trusts YHWH. SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed) ▣ "refuge" See SPECIAL TOPIC: REFUGE ▣ NASB, NKJV, LXX "Who subdues my people under me" NRSV, TEV, Targums, Peshitta, Vulgate "who subdues the peoples under me" "He makes the peoples submit to me" The difference is only a final mem. The UBS Text Project (p. 436) gives "my people" a "B" rating (some doubt). This line of poetry either asserts the king's authority over the covenant people (i.e., he is YHWH's under shepherd) asserts Israel's victory by YHWH's power over the pagan nations The UBS Text Project (p. 437) gives "under me" an "A" rating (very high probability). If this is the correct text, then option #1 above is the correct implication. 144:3 Notice the synonymous parallelism. "man" ‒ Adam (BDB 9) "son of man" ‒ "ben enosh" (BDB 60) In the parallel in Psalm 8 the Hebrew words for "man" are reversed, but the intent is the same. These terms are speaking of a human person. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF MAN ▣ "take knowledge" This is the Hebrew VERB "know" (BDB 393, KB 390, Qal PERFECT with waw). SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW 144:4 This verse highlights the finitude of mankind (cf. Job 8:9; 14:2; Ps. 39:5-6; 102:11; 109:23; Eccl. 6:12; 8:12) and although not specifically stated, the eternality of YHWH is highlighted.
Salmos 144:5-8
144:5-8 This strophe is a series of prayer requests. It is surprising in light of Ps. 144:1-4. The psalmist asserts YHWH's power and presence in the first strophe but pleads for His deliverance in this one. Note the IMPERATIVES and IMPERFECTS used in an IMPERATIVAL sense. bow, Ps. 144:5 (lit. "bend") ‒ BDB 639, KB 692, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, cf. Ps. 8:9 come down, Ps. 144:5 ‒ BDB 432, KB 434, Qal IMPERFECT but used as IMPERATIVAL prayer request touch, Ps. 144:5 ‒ BDB 619, KB 668, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Ps. 104:32 flash forth, Ps. 144:6 ‒ BDB 140, KB 162, Qal IMPERATIVE scatter (i.e., arrows on alien invaders), Ps. 144:6 ‒ BDB 806, KB 918, Hiphil IMPERFECT used as IMPERATIVAL prayer request send out, Ps. 144:6 ‒ BDB 1018, KB 1511, Qal IMPERATIVE confuse, Ps. 144:6 ‒ BDB 243, KB 251, Qal IMPERFECT used as IMPERATIVAL prayer request stretch forth, Ps. 144:7 ‒ same as #6 rescue (lit. "open," cf. Ps. 144:11), Ps. 144:7 ‒ BDB 822, KB 953, Qal IMPERATIVE deliver me, Ps. 144:7 ‒ BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil IMPERATIVE 144:5-7 These verses use "Holy War" imagery to request YHWH' presence and power in battle. He will either train and empower the Israeli soldiers (Ps. 144:1) fight on Israel's behalf as in the conquest of Canaan under Joshua (Ps. 144:6) 144:6 "Lighting. . .arrows" These images of YHWH's military power are in a parallel relationship (cf. Ps. 18:14; 77:17-18; Zech. 9:14). ▣ "confuse them" NKJV, Peshitta "destroy them" NRSV, NJB, JPSOA "rout them" "send them running" "throw them into disarray" There are two possible Hebrew roots. המם, BDB 243, KB 251, "rout," cf. 2 Sam. 22:15; Ps. 18:14 הום, KB 242, confuse," this one has "Holy War" connotation, cf. Josh. 10:10; Jdgs. 4:15; 1 Sam. 7:10; 2 Chr. 15:6 144:7 Notice "great waters" is parallel to "the hand of aliens." The imagery is from chaos of creation, cf. Job 41:1-11; Ps. 74:12-17; Isa. 51:9-10; see SPECIAL TOPIC: WATERS invasion, cf. Ps. 18:16-17; Isa. 17:12-14; 28:2; Jer. 51:34 death, cf. Ps. 18:4-6 144:8 The "aliens" (BDB 648, KB 700 I) are characterized as those who lie. One's words reveal one's heart. This seems to refer to international treaties or possibly court testimony under oath (cf. Gen. 14:22; Deut. 32:40; Ps. 106:26; Isa. 44:20). YHWH is true to His word (cf. Ps. 144:2a), but pagans and some Israelites are not! SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH
Salmos 144:9-11
144:9-11 This strophe has three emphases. what the psalmist promises to do I will sing a new song to God, Ps. 144:9a ‒ BDB 1010, KB 1479, Qal COHORTATIVE (i.e., composed to celebrate YHWH's victory) I will sing praises to God, Ps. 144:9b ‒ BDB 274, KB 273, Piel COHORTATIVE YHWH's past acts of deliverance He delivered Israel's Kings, Ps. 144:10a He delivered David, Ps. 144:10b (probably kings of David's line) the psalmist's prayer is based on YHWH's previous acts rescue me, Ps. 144:11a ‒ BDB 822, KB 963, Qal IMPERATIVE deliver me, Ps. 144:11a ‒ BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil IMPERATIVE Notice the parallel between Ps. 144:7-8 and 144:11. 144:9 "God" This is the title Elohim. SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C. 144:10 "salvation" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SALVATION (OT) ▣ "David His servant" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT ▣ "from the evil sword" This is an unusual characterization. Several translations put the phrase in the next line of poetry (i.e., NRSV, TEV, NJB). Other translations have REB ‒ "the cruel sword" JPSOA ‒ "the deadly sword" KJV, Peshitta ‒ "the hurtful sword" AB ‒ "the sword of the Evil One" NAB ‒ "the menacing sword" In context it seems to relate to the "aliens" (Ps. 144:7c, 11a). The Aramaic Targums (translation with comments) interpreted it as "from the evil sword of Goliath" (UBS Handbook, p. 1159). 144:11 "right hand" See SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND
Salmos 144:12-15
144:12-14 This strophe is characterized by seven PARTICIPLES (1) used as JUSSIVES (2) statements of fact. young sons as grown up plants, Ps. 144:12a ‒ BDB 152, KB 178, Pual young daughters as fashioned (lit. "hewn") pillars, Ps. 144:12b ‒ BDB 310, KB 306, Pual garners producing, Ps. 144:13a ‒ BDB 807, KB 920, Hiphil flocks bringing forth thousands, Ps. 144:13b ‒ BDB 48 II, KB 59, Hiphil (found only here) flocks bringing forth ten thousands, Ps. 144:13b ‒ BDB 912, KB 1174, Pual cattle bear (lit. be heavy with young), Ps. 144:14a ‒ BDB 687, KB 741, Pual going out (i.e., "bearing" ) with no problems, Ps. 144:14b ‒ BDB 422, KB 425, Qal there is an implied PARTICIPLE in Ps. 144:14c ‒ NASB has "let," which matches Ps. 144:12-14b, "let there be no outcry in our streets" These are all blessings of covenant obedience (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30). Notice the covenant blessing of Ps. 144:15. NASB translates both Ps. 144:1 and 15 as "blessed," but they are different Hebrew words. Ps. 144:1 ‒ BDB 138 Ps. 144:15 ‒ BDB 80 The term "happy" or "blessed" (BDB 80, cf. Ps. 1:1) is recurrent and describes why they are blessed (cf. Ps. 32:1-2; 34:8; 40:4; 84:5,12; 94:12; 127:5; Prov. 3:13; 8:34; 28:14). It is also used of corporate blessings (cf. Ps. 33:12; 89:15; 144:15). 144:12 The term "plants" (BDB 642) occurs only here but it is very close to the normal root for "plant." plant (here) ‒ נטיע plant ‒ נטע, used often ▣ "corner pillars" This is also a rare term, found only here and in Zech. 9:15. 144:13 "garners" This term (BDB 265, KB 565) is also found only here in the OT (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 909). Most translations have "barns." 144:14 There are two ways to view this verse. It goes with Ps. 144:13b and relates to healthy, fruitful livestock (BDB 687, KB 741, Pual PARTICIPLE; NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 498). It related to cattle carrying heavy loads of harvested crops (NET Bible, p. 1009, #8). It goes with Ps. 144:14b,c and relates to a prayer for no breach in the city wall, which would allow an invader entrance. The UBS Handbook (p. 1161) asserts there is no way from the text or context to know which option is best.